When you view an alpha channel in the After Effects Composition panel or a Premiere Pro Monitor panel, white indicates complete opacity, black indicates complete transparency, and shades of gray indicate partial transparency. In addition, an image can include an invisible fourth channel, called an alpha channel, that contains transparency information.Īn alpha channel provides a way to store images and their transparency information in a single file without disturbing the color channels. This is because the website/software is populating the background information as it’s being told that element of the image is transparent.Ĭolor information is contained in three channels: red, green, and blue. See, when you view a PNG on a website or your desktop, you’ll note that the image’s background isn’t always the same color, but the color of the website/photo viewer background. However, as I advanced in my creative career, I came to learn that the white background wasn’t vanishing, it simply wasn’t there to begin with.

It amazed me that dragging a PNG file into the software made the white background disappear. What is Alpha Channel? Having an alpha channel will let you use your graphics in more creative ways.īefore I ever touched Photoshop or Premiere Pro, I used PowerPoint for school projects. Everyone knows what it is-even the people who think they don’t. If you’ve never heard of the alpha channel, don’t worry. How to utilize the Alpha Channel in After Effects. Get the most versatility out of your still image or footage with a transparent background.

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